Patrick L. Wallace, CHE, administrator of East Texas Medical Center Athens, is the new chairman of the Texas Hospital Association’s 2005-2006 Board of Trustees. He will be installed as chairman at the board’s annual planning retreat, August 12 in Marble Falls.

Wallace has 30 years of hospital management experience, including 17 years with East Texas Medical Center Athens, which is operated by the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System. Prior to his present position, he served in executive roles for hospitals in Graham and Palacios.

For THA, Wallace has served on the THA Executive Committee, as chair of the Council on Policy Development, and as chair of the Rural Hospital Constituency Council, among other roles. He also served as chairman of the board for several THA-affiliated organizations, including HealthShare/THA and the THA Retirement Plan. His lengthy list of professional activities includes work on behalf of rural and small hospitals, health care reform, regional trauma systems, and health care career recruitment and placement. Wallace was appointed by former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff to serve on the executive committee of the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs, and he was appointed to serve on the Texas Center for Rural Health Initiatives executive committee by then Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown and a master’s of science degree from Trinity University in San Antonio. He is a diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Founded in 1930, the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the state’s hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin, THA enhances its members’ abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country, THA represents more than 85 percent of the state’s hospitals and health care systems, which employ some 300,000 health care professionals statewide.